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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23554345">i spoil Auspice of Echoes for everyone</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CplCrimp/pseuds/CplCrimp'>CplCrimp</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Auspice of Echoes [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Warriors - Erin Hunter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abusive Parents, Abusive Relationships, Animal Death, Attempted Kidnapping, Attempted Murder, Bad Parenting, Character Death, Child Death, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, F/M, Future Fic, I'm Bad At Tagging, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Minor Character Death, Murder, Near Death, Near Death Experiences, Original Cat Clans (Warriors), Original Character Death(s), Parenthood, Rape Aftermath, Rape Recovery, Roadtrip, Sexism, Sexist Language, Temporary Character Death, Trans Female Character, bad leader, clan founding, idr what happens, lowkey kidnapping, quick fic, story outline, unrealistic colors</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 17:41:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>17,938</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23554345</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CplCrimp/pseuds/CplCrimp</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>exactly what the title says! the story of Auspice of Echoes but without details or dialogue, pure plot spoiling.</p><p>(r/pe isn't graphic, tag is there for trigger purposes)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Auspice of Echoes [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1874593</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Ivystar's Rise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>r/pe is bad and i dont support it!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The recently-orphaned Ivy is attacked by a redtail hawk. She’s soon saved by Sandy Shore and Flaming Dawn, and Flaming Dawn invites her to stay at the Glare of Flying Color’s Cave, much to the chagrin of Frosty Night. As payback, Frosty Night doesn’t let Ivy leave the next morning, and puts her to work. He sends Ivy out with Flaming Dawn, telling the two to bring home food. While out, Flaming Dawn shows Ivy all the good hunting and fishing spots, all while informing her about how the Glare works. Ivy is not very pleased, but is rather thankful for the roof over her head and a steady stream of prey.</p><p>She is wrong. That night, Frosty Night confines her to one corner of the cave away from the fresh-kill pile and assigns her a bodyguard in Clover Fur. Ivy hasn’t eaten in a week, though, and can’t sleep due to her hunger pains. She sneaks around Clover Fur, but is soon caught. The two talk things out, though, and Clover Fur brings her a tiny mouse. Ivy eats it, fur, bones and all.</p><p>Ivy adjusts to the Glare a little bit. Winter sets in and she and her friends, Flaming Dawn, Silver Night and Clover Fur are doing a very good job hunting. Good enough, in fact, that Ivy’s borders are extended. She may sleep in the apprentice’s den with the other young hunters, and the only places she may not access are the other dens. Seems solid to her.</p><p>A few weeks later, the Longest Night comes around. Flaming Dawn explains to Ivy that on the Longest Night, everyqueen in the Glare is sent out until the spring, when they will come back pregnant and ready to restore life to the Glare. Ivy is disgusted, but Frosty Night quickly tells her she will not be participating. He calls a meeting and asks for the queens who will participate. Speckled Pelt and Bright Fern step forward.</p><p>Frosty Night is dissatisfied with this, and quickly summons Leaping Snow to go in Bright Fern’s place. Both the queens look horrified, but don’t disobey their leader’s orders. As Leaping Snow and Speckled Pelt set out, Ivy can overhear Frosty Night insult Bright Fern for wanting to leave him. Ivy, Flaming Dawn, Clover Fur and Silver Night go out hunting and see the two queens as they leave the mountains.</p><p>The next day, Frosty Night tests Ivy on her skill in the mountains. She does very well, and Frosty Night makes an announcement at the camp. He renames her Ivy Leaf, and makes Starry Sky an apprentice under himself- his successor. The meeting ends, Bright Fern and Tumbling Beams, Starry Sky’s mother, whisper nervously to eachother. Ivy is congratulated by her friends, asks to remain Ivy, and the whole gang (Clover Fur, Flaming Dawn, Silver Night, Sandy Shore and Dust Storm) go hunting to celebrate. They don’t bring back much, however. Sandy Shore makes a new nest in the apprentice’s den, right next to his. That night, though, Ivy scoots it over between Flaming Dawn and Clover Fur.</p><p>Even as an official member of the Glare, Frosty Night doesn’t trust Ivy. He knows, though, that she and Clover Fur are friends now, so he reassigns her outside guard as Gnarled Bark. Ivy has a charm, though, so they quickly become friends themselves. </p><p>On the Day of Warmth, Speckled Pelt returns home with a cat in tow. The tom wears a collar and introduces himself as Snowy, there for his new wife! Frosty Night tells him that he cannot enter the Glare with a collar, so Snowy gives it up. Frosty Night quickly renames him Snow Strike, and tells Silent Wind to train him. This pisses Ivy off, obviously, because <em> she </em>had to go through tests. Whatever. Hunting must be done. Starry Sky sneaks out along with her. Ivy teaches the young cat how to hunt, and Starry Sky teaches Ivy all the healing herbs she knows.</p><p>Whenever she is not training with Frosty Night, Ivy teaches Starry Sky how to survive. When she is training, Ivy hunts with the other young warriors and Gnarled Bark. Eventually the time rolls around that Speckled Pelt is having her kits. Sunset Cliffs assists her birth, and the two soon return with Speckled Pelt’s four lovely kits. She hasn’t named any of them, though, which is typically standard for the solitary birth. Snow Strike doesn’t mind, though, he and his wife will name the kids when they start to show their personality. Speckled Pelt doesn’t seem to show any interest, though, and complains as the kits figure out how to suckle.</p><p>Frosty Night doesn’t care, but decides the nursery is too crowded. He gives Crimson Night to Bright Fern to train, though Sunset Cliffs thinks Crimson Night is still a bit too young. Still, no one disobeys. Starry Sky comes out from the Moonhole and asks Ivy to show her how to fish! Crimson Night is also excited to learn, so the two go out together. Starry Sky and Crimson Night are already best friends, so now only Ivy and Bright Fern have to bond. Ivy thinks she’s nice, but something feels wrong about her.</p><p>In the next few weeks, Crimson Night tells her close friends and family to treat her as a molly. Ivy is told of this, and agrees with everyone else. That same day, though, Speckled Pelt and Snow Strike’s youngest kit dies mysteriously in a pool of her own blood. Speckled Pelt makes up an excuse about how she hit her head on the wall, but Ivy doesn’t buy it. Snow Strike rapidly names her Hope Heart, hoping it will get her into the Glare of Stars Above, but Clover Fur and Flaming Dawn just shake their heads sadly. Ivy doesn’t need to be told what they’re thinking. After Snow Strike names Hope Heart, he and Speckled Pelt name the other kits: River Shine, Light Paws and Shattered Spots.</p><p>Ruthlessly, Frosty Night tells Snow Strike to bury his kit, and disperses the crowd, telling everyone that there are mouths to feed. This is the moment that Ivy decides she hates Frosty Night with everything in her being. She decides that she needs to leave, and tells her friends about her plans that night in the den. Clover Fur, Silver Night, Flaming Dawn, Sandy Shore and Dust Storm all agree to join her. Ivy sneaks into the hunter’s den to spread the news. Gnarled Bark and Flowing River both agree to come, but Tumbling Beams, Sunset Cliffs, and Silent Wind all decide to stay. Tumbling Beams tells Silver Night to look after Starry Sky, and Sunset Cliffs says the same to Flaming Dawn. None of them had considered asking the apprentices to come, but now they do. Both Starry Sky and Crimson Night are stoked to see the world!</p><p>Snow Strike and Bright Fern hear and want to come too. Swan’s Wing, though, stays with the other adults. Snow Strike asks to wait another moon, though, so that his kits can walk. Ivy agrees. Soon enough, the day arrives. They leave in the middle of the night to the soft goodbyes of the four cats left of the Glare, and set out down the mountains. Sandy Shore tells Ivy how lovely of an idea he thought that she had, and how wonderful it would be to start a new Glare- a new family!- outside the mountains.</p><p>Bright Fern and Speckled Pelt take charge of the group, leading them on the path queens take to find their mates. Flaming Dawn, Flowing River and Starry Sky all help out Snow Strike with the kits. Crimson Night and Light Paws bond and play like kits should. Speckled Pelt gets quickly annoyed with the two, though. </p><p>Nothing much happens for a week, and eventually, Ivy’s Clowder rest on an escarpment for the night. A forest is on the nearby skyline, and Ivy figures that should be the place. Crimson Night, Shattered Spots, Light Paws and River Shine are all playing. Sandy Shore compliments Ivy on how absolutely wonderful of a job she’s doing leading. She awkwardly thanks him and sits beside Starry Sky instead. </p><p>Starry Sky talks to Ivy about how she feels like she’s already wasted her childhood under Frosty Night, because now she’s the group’s sole medic. Ivy apologizes to her. Their touching moment, however, is interrupted by a scream. Everyone looks over to the kits, were Crimson Night is missing. They all know what happened, and Ivy, Flaming Dawn and Clover Fur all immediately start hopping and sliding down the mountain to find out where the kit went.</p><p>When the three find Crimson Night’s body, they don’t know what to do. Flaming Dawn starts to cry. Clover Fur sees her flank move and determines she’s still alive. She climbs back up the rocks and helps Starry Sky down so she can assist. She helps everyone else down while Ivy helps Starry Sky collect the proper herbs to help Crimson Night wake back up.</p><p>The clowder, after freaking out over the feeling of grass on their feet and possibly loosing one of their members, rest there for the night. Flaming Dawn and Ivy don’t sleep, though, mostly out of worry but playing it off as guarding.</p><p>They’re right to guard. Just before waking hours, they spot a strange-looking cat. He seems to be shapeless, and he’s got purple eyes that reflect the stars. He states his name as Omen, and asks for their business. Ivy explains that she and her clowder would like to settle in the woods. Omen nods and asks if his could join her. Ivy agrees to meet them in the morning. Omen notes that the sun will rise any moment, and that he can feel the dew on his fur. Ah, dew, Flaming Dawn sighs. Perhaps that will heal Crimson Night.</p><p>Omen asks what he means, so he explains that she fell off the cliff the night before. Omen nods, touches his nose to Crimson Night’s forehead, mutters something and tells the two she will wake up with everyone else. He then tells Ivy to follow the path of orchids through the woods, and in the dell of two hills on the lakeside is where his clowder resides. Ivy nods.</p><p>Crimson Night wakes up with everyone else, confused as to what happened, and everyone breathes a sigh of relief. Ivy gets the gang to move on again, trying her best to figure out what an orchid is. Sandy Shore hops up beside Ivy and starts flirting with her, praising her for being so cool and so brave in the time of need. Ivy isn’t sure how to reply exactly, so she just says thanks and moves to a trot. Sandy Shore dejectedly falls back into the crowd. </p><p>Ivy soon finds Omen’s camp. He welcomes the whole group with open paws and offers a nice catfish to the group. Ivy asks Omen how she should pay him back, but he tells her not to worry about it. While the group is eating, Omen introduces his campmates. His husband, named Fang, and Fang’s sister, Bitterling. Ivy nods and thanks them for their hospitality, letting the clowder introduce themselves to the cats. Bitterling looks slightly angry, though.</p><p>Ivy doesn’t want to be rude, so she doesn’t ask. Sandy Shore steps up and invites her on a walk around the territory, Ivy declines the offer. Sandy Shore looks offended, though takes his group: Speckled Pelt, Gnarled Bark, Dust Storm and Clover Fur out with Bitterling. Ivy checks in on Starry Sky, who is checking in on Crimson Night. Fang has given the young cat a place to rest, but Crimson Night is antsy to get a move on! Ivy stops her before she can go anywhere, and offers to take her and the other kits on a look around where they came. All of the kits happily come along. Fang offers assistance, but Ivy is sure she’ll be fine, after all, she knows what orchids are now! Starry Sky hangs back, though, with Shattered Spots to learn the forest herbs from Omen.</p><p>As soon as everycat returns, Speckled Pelt immediately takes her kids out again to teach them how to hunt. This continues for a moon or two under the guise of training until, one day, unbeknownst to them, Crimson Night follows and sees Speckled Pelt insulting and tossing the three of them all about. Crimson Night tells Ivy, Bright Fern and Snow Strike. Snow Strike tells the rest of the clan before she and the kits return home, and all of them vow to keep the kits away from her. Speckled Pelt and Snow Strike get into a big fight about this as soon as Gnarled Bark and Flowing River take the kits away from her. As a result, Speckled Pelt eats dinner with Sandy Shore and Bitterling, while Fang complains that the forest used to be peaceful.</p><p>Speckled Pelt convinces Sandy Shore and Bitterling that family gets you nowhere. Sandy Shore is ready to agree, because no cat has been listening to him this entire trip. He yells at Gnarled Bark, Flowing River and Dust Storm before the three of them head into the forest to, apparently start their own clowder. Ivy follows them to try and convince them to come back. Sandy Shore is <em> pissed. </em> He exclaims that he’s tried to be nice to her the entire time she was in the Glare, and Ivy <em> never </em>paid her any mind, and now that he isn’t following her rules, she wants him! Ivy plainly states that Sandy Shore is unfamiliar with the forest and would simply be safer in a group.</p><hr/>
<hr/>
<hr/><p>A group like a family? asks Sandy Shore, stating that that’s <em> exactly </em> what he wanted out of her anyway. Ivy replies that she is <em> not </em> a prize to be won, and she will <em> not </em>have kits with a tom so shallow. Sandy Shore pins her to the ground and says that she is a queen, that he is surprised that Frosty Night kept her around, that anytom allowed her to lead, and that he fell in love with her! Sandy Shore states that he tried to be nice, but Ivy has tested his patience for the last time!</p><p>Ivy fights her hardest against Sandy Shore, but looses. She comes back to Omen’s camp with pained hindquarters. She states that she no longer feels safe at this campsite, and that she must find a new place for her clowder to live. To her surprise, Omen and Fang come with. Clover Fur and Flaming Dawn are by Ivy’s side every second as she rushes through moorland that she can smell Sandy Shore on, and as the enters the edge of a forest with birds. Glorious, familiar birds.</p><hr/>
<hr/>
<hr/><p>Fang states that he used to know a clowder who lived on the lakeside in the forest, and leads the group to a big hole in the ground. Ivy thinks it is a perfect home. Flaming Dawn isn’t wholly sure, it sure is hard to find, but Clover Fur thinks it would be terribly easy to defend. Flaming Dawn wonders who they would need to defend this place from. Ivy cringes.</p><p>Turns out, a few rogues from the old clowder still live in the hole. They are named Jay, Autumn, Rubble and Brambling, and they are happy to accompany the new guests. Silver Night, Flowing River and Light Paws fill the rogues in on all that’s happened to them while Ivy musters up the courage to tell the clowder what happened to her. Starry Sky and Crimson Night, who have both grown into fine young cats, can tell something is clearly wrong. Ivy confesses that Sandy Shore hurt her badly that night- irreparably. Starry Sky investigates and determines that Ivy is pregnant. Ivy swears and that gives her just enough adrenaline.</p><p>She hops up on the big rock at the lakeshore and tells the whole Clowder what Sandy Shore Shore did to her. As she speaks, Snow Strike notices that his kits are gone. Everyone fears the worst, so Clover Fur organizes patrols to search the territory to find them. Crimson Night, Silver Night, Flowing River and Ivy all make the journey into Sandy Shore’s moor.</p><p>The group can see Bitterling and Speckled Pelt with the three kits. Bitterling tells River Shine that, in order to join her mother in Sandy Shore’s Superior group, she must kill her siblings. It appears that she does, and as soon as the two fall to the ground, Bitterling and Speckled Pelt nod, taking River Shine home. As soon as they are out of scentshot, Crimson Night rushes forward and sobs over Light Paws’s body. Crimson Night exclaims that she loved Light Paws, and is very shocked to hear her little voice pipe up in reply.</p><p>Ivy compliments the two for being very smart and playing possum. The two rush back to the new camp before anyone returns to bury them. Crimson Night and Light Paws officially propose to eachother and have a sweet little flower ceremony. Ivy wishes that the ceremony could last forever, but she knows that bidding must be done.</p><p>A day goes by without any harm. On the night of the next day, their camp is raided. Ivy assumed she would have the upperhand, outnumbering Sandy Shore. She is wrong. She is not the only one who has been joined by rogues. Sandy Shore has many cats, and he lets them all do his bidding as he kills his mother, Flowing River. Gnarled Bark and Dust Storm realize what he’s done and both attack Sandy Shore, causing a large catpile. Sandy Shore calls a retreat and narrowly escapes. As they leave, Ivy realizes there is only one body- and it’s Flowing River. No other cat sleeps as they mourn her death. Each cat glances up at Ivy throughout the night, and everyone comes to a silent agreement that Sandy Shore and his posse are the bane of the forest- and he must be removed.</p><p>Ivy’s whole clowder trains for an entire moon on how to fight and Clover Fur becomes a teacher. Her commands are clear: show no mercy. The sky is stormy and striking with lightning as Ivy decides it’s time. She is heavily pregnant, and so is Light Paws. Starry Sky desperately doesn’t want her to fight, because Ivy is now caring for two lives. Ivy simply flicks her ear, making it known that she will fight regardless. Light Paws wishes the battle patrol good luck as she waits in the midst of everyone’s scents.</p><p>Ivy’s group hides behind the bushes on the edge of their territory, while Sandy Shore’s hides behind a hill. Sandy Shore stands atop the hill and tells her forces to come out. Ivy struts up to him and gives him one last chance to run away and never return. He slashes Ivy’s cheek. She calls her forces, and The Great War begins. </p><p>
  <em> (Ivy’s cats: Ivy, Starry Sky, Gnarled Bark, Dust Storm, Clover Fur, Flaming Dawn, Silver Night, Crimson Night, Shattered Spots, Snow Strike, Fang, Jay, Autumn, Omen, Brambling and Rubble) </em>
</p><p>
  <em> (Sandy Shore’s cats: Sandy Shore, Speckled Pelt, River Shine, Fox, Bristle, Pinecone, Scarlet, Skippy, Casper, Hail, Mourning Dove, Rosemary, Comet, Midnight, Dawn, Cactus, Thistle, Hope, Pippin, Nessie, Bonnie and Freckle.) </em>
</p><p>Flaming Dawn and Crimson Night tag-team Thistle, Bristle and Cactus. No one wins, so instead Flaming Dawn and Crimson Night kill Scarlet. Fang, Jay and Clover Fur take on Thistle and Cactus as well. They manage to kill Thistle as Cactus takes Jay’s life in revenge. Fang and Clover Fur kill Cactus as soon as he does. Bonnie and Rubble kill eachother as Dust Storm kills Skippy. Omen manages to kill Bristle.</p><p>Sandy Shore and Ivy are still atop the hill, though Ivy soon realizes that her stomach is much too heavy. She stands a moment to rest. Sandy Shore is always prepared to use back-handed tactics, however, so he slaughters Ivy when she’s off guard. Everycat freezes. Sandy Shore tosses Ivy down the hill and yowls out happily. His armies return home happily. As Ivy’s defeated clowder returns back home, they realize that Light Paws is missing.</p><p>Both Starry Sky and Crimson Night swear their vengeance, as Ivy’s ghost wanders the territory.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Vows of Starry Sky and Crimson Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Crimson Night gathers together a squad, knowing time is of the essence to save her mate. Starry Sky organizes one too, not wanting Ivy to rot. Crimson Night, Flaming Dawn and Silver Night rush around the moor, locating the best way to infiltrate Sandy Shore’s camp. They locate where Light Paws is being kept. She is being treated terribly by her mother, though River Shine scares her off. River Shine looks at her sadly, and it’s apparent to Crimson Night that she has one support, though is afraid she won’t be able to give birth peacefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Starry Sky takes charge of Ivy’s camp. She, Shattered Spots and Omen all heal the wounded while the gears turn in Starry Sky’s head. She isn’t sure how, but she knows she must bring Ivy and her kit back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Starry Sky goes to sleep, though wakes up in the middle of the night. She dreams of her mother, Tumbling Beams, who encourages her to wake up. Even while awake, Starry Sky can still see Tumbling Beams come and go in glimpses. She wakes up her older brother and Crimson Night, asking the two of them to join her into the woods at night. They both agree. Tumbling Beams’s spirit leads them on the boundary of the two clowder’s borders. They discover a stone stairwell and a large pool far, far away. A willow drips one frond into the pond, but causes no ripples. Starry Sky gazes upon the crystal clear water and can’t help herself from taking a drink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she opens her eyes once more, she is on a purple escarpment and Tumbling is in front of her. She welcomes her to the Glare of Stars Above, and Starry Sky realizes exactly what she must do. She wakes up at stares at Silver Night and Crimson Night with wide eyes. She informs them that they must bring Ivy here. They both ask why, but Starry Sky has trouble explaining herself, eventually just exclaiming that they </span>
  <em>
    <span>must!</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>So, they do. As they pull Ivy’s body out from under the Lakerock, they wake up Gnarled Bark and Bright Fern. They insist to come along. Starry Sky doesn’t object. The five cats carry Ivy across their backs before arriving back at the willow’s pool. Bright Fern and Gnarled Bark are both surprised to see the place. Starry Sky pulls Ivy off her campmate’s backs, and pushes her muzzle into the water. She invites the five of them to take a drink and join her. They’re reasonably frightened, but comply. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The group stands together in Stars Above. Ivy glances at her paws, surprised and bewildered and able to move. In front of her stands Tumbling Beams. Without any explanation, Tumbling Beams congratulates her on her courage, and brings her back to real life. She then gives one more life- for Ivy’s kit. Ivy dips her head and thanks her. Starry Sky, Silver Night, Gnarled Bark, Crimson Night and Bright Fern all gather around Ivy, hugging her and being absolutely stoked that she can come back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then a cat clears her throat. In front of them now stands Ivy’s mother, who claims she would like to give a life as well. Ivy’s brothers, Cotton and June, Leaping Snow, Silent Wind, Sunset Cliffs, Flowing River and Jay all want to give lives as well. Ivy doesn’t disagree and gains seven lives atop her own and her kits. The Stars Above cats congratulate her and christen her as Ivystar. When everyone wakes up, they all agree to name the place the Starpond.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they return back to camp, Ivy yowls out to call a meeting. Her clowdermates are reasonably stoked to see her again, they ask her how she did it, why her name is Ivy Star now, so Starry Sky informs everyone of the cats with stars in their fur. Gnarled Bark disperses the crowd, telling everyone that it’s a lot of work to be resurrected and Ivystar is probably tired! Everyone returns to the warrior’s wall. Gnarled Bark purrs and licks her head, stating that he loves her very much. Crimson Night tells her the same. Starry Sky runs a quick check on her stomach, though, to make sure the kit is alright. It kicks, Ivy winces, and Starry Sky is satisfied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bright Fern pushes her way through the crowd. She purrs and licks Ivys cheek. Ivy blushes as Bright Fern tells her she kept the nest next to hers intact. Ivy nods and lays in the nest with her. Crimson Night watches as Starry Sky and Gnarled Bark turn into their nests as well. She seems to hear a sound and turns around, though doesn’t spot anything… a small breeze blows the scent of a disgusting cat her way, though. She climbs up the pathway and rushes around the left side of the camp. The scent picks up. She follows it all the way through the forest and onto the border… she catches up with a cat, a spy for Sandy Shore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Crimson Night immediately attacks her. Not just for Ivy’s sake, for Light Paws’s too! The cat, Hope, does manage to slip away with much less fur. Crimson Night spits out a hairball and decides she needs to save Light Paws before she kits.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Crimson Night hops atop the Lakerock at the crack of dawn and calls a meeting. She informs her clowdermates that she caught a spy of Sandy Shore’s last night, and she is certain he now knows that Ivy has returned to life. She fears that his rage will be stronger than ever, and she’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>very </span>
  </em>
  <span>worried about her wife. She hops down and asks if Ivy will join her. Ivy declines. She doesn’t think she can look at Sandy Shore’s face again, and she doesn’t wish any further harm come to her kitten. Crimson Night nods, but Flaming Dawn and Clover Fur but in and say that </span>
  <em>
    <span>they </span>
  </em>
  <span>will take care of Sandy Shore and save Light Paws with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The three head out, and Crimson Night talks about her plan. They cross into the moor with shivering paws and scent around for the strongest spoor. Crimson Night finds one, and they steadily make their way through the hilly terrain. They look over one and spot Sandy Shore and Hope out hunting. Hope ducks down a rabbit burrow while Sandy Shore watches. While she is gone, the three pounce. All of them shout at Sandy Shore and claw him to bits. Crimson Night eventually lets her rage get the better of her. She digs her fangs deep into Sandy Shore’s neck and kicks down his stomach with all her might. Hope pops out of the warren with a rabbit in her jaws. Sandy Shore gasps at her to prepare the clowder, and she runs off. Crimson Night starts to chase, but Clover Fur lets her be. Sandy Shore bleeds out and falls, dead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Flaming Dawn pulls Sandy Shore up by the scruff, and tells the group they should show his clowder what becomes of cats who support him. They do just that, climbing down the wall of the hill and into the dell that makes up Sandy Shore’s camp. His rogues are, understandably shocked to see their leader dripping blood and being carried by an enemy. Flaming Dawn drops him to the ground uselessly and tells the cats what their wonderful leader has done. The reasonable ones, of course, are shocked. Speckled Pelt, Nessie, Bitterling and Hope all disagree. Their rogue bark at them for being terrible excuses of cats. Clover Fur states that they may leave this group and never return peacefully, or they can be killed as well. Speckled Pelt snorts and tells her girls to leave, but not before being disappointed that her daughters aren’t joining her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As soon as they leave, Crimson Night bolts to find her wife. Light Paws is alive and well, and has yet to kit. A cat named Mourning Dove joins her side, and informs Crimson Night that the clowder would never harm an innocent queen… she also asks if they may meet Ivy, to apologize for their actions against her. Crimson Night looks back at her brother and Clover Fur. The two of them agree, and drag Sandy Shore’s body along.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once they reach home, Ivy insists they throw it in the river and let it go wherever the hell it pleases. Flaming Dawn and Clover Fur oblige while Crimson Night settles her wife in and Starry Sky runs a check on her kits. Her camp isn’t big enough for all the warriors, so Starry Sky tells her about an island just offshore she spotted. Ivy agrees to hold the meeting there that evening. All the cats meet, including Light Paws and Crimson Night, on the island. It’s a bit hard for all the former mountain cats to swim, so as an act of friendship, the good rogues all help them along. Ivy climbs up onto the branch of a live oak and calls the meeting to order.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mourning Dove, new leader of the rogues speaks up for every one. Sandy Shore lied to them, promised them protection, did not inform them of his past, nor who Ivy truly was. They apologize and ask to join Ivy’s clowder. Ivy looks down to Flaming Dawn and Clover Fur, wanting their opinion. Both of them nod, smiling, so Ivy agrees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>...however, she doesn’t believe her camp is big enough to house all of them. Flaming Dawn hops up and announces that, the few times he was on the moor, he loved it! He would love to take the cats who love the moors as well to join him back in the old dell, were they formally lived. The cats agree to this. They start with Ivy’s clowder, dividing into cats who want to remain with her, and those who would like to join the new moor group.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Starry Sky and Gnarled Bark both choose to live with Ivy. As Dust Storm steps up, though, he states that he would really like to live under Clover Fur. Clover Fur is flustered, but obliges and hops onto the branch beside Ivy and Flaming Dawn. As Dust Storm joins her, Gnarled Bark switches too to remain with his only kin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bright Fern, Autumn, Fox, Pinecone, Pippin, Mourning Dove, Dawn and Freckle join Ivy. Crimson Night, Light Paws, Shattered Spots, Brambling, Rosemary, Comet and River Shine join Flaming Dawn. Snow Strike, Fang, Omen, Hail, Midnight, Silver Night and Casper join Clover Fur. The meeting is cut short by Light Paws going into labor, so everyone takes their warriors and head home and the leaders agree to meet again tomorrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Some of Ivy’s warriors wish to be named like the mountain cats. Ivy thinks up names, and agrees the next morning. Fox becomes Fox Mask, Dawn becomes Dawn Flower, and Freckle becomes Freckle Belly. Starry Sky and Ivystar head back to the island to meet with the other leaders once more. Clover Fur believes that they are now much different from rogues and the Glare, so the leaders and their healers discuss a few laws that they all agree to follow. Starry Sky gives the other healers directions to the Starpond so their leaders may receive nine lives as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ivy gives birth that night. She names her daughter Tiny Gust. Flamingstar, Cloverstar and Crimson Night all swing by to talk to Ivy again. Flamingstar informs her that he scented Speckled Pelt in their territory. Ivy worries. She then states that, looking at her daughter, she realized that clowder just isn’t strong enough a word to describe her clowdermates. So, instead, she calls them a clan. Ivy’s Clan, Flaming’s Clan and Clover’s Clan. The two other leaders agree with her and accept the name.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Flamingstar then notices that Tiny Gust isn’t nursing because there’s no milk around her lips. Ivy doesn’t want her daughter to starve, so she convinces Crimson Night to nurse her along with her kits. Ivy swears she’ll be involved. Crimson Night reluctantly agrees, and returns to her clan with Tiny Gust.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Fang's Promise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Fang is taking out his three kits, Smokekit, Frogkit and Brumekit into the territory with Omen. They are hunting for pinecones and interesting bugs, Frogkit specifically is looking to find a beetle bigger than the one he heard Merlinkit, in Ivy’s Clan, caught. Fang watches his children and reminisces about what’s happened since Sandy Shore was driven from the forest two years ago. The three founders had earned their stars, and along with the rogues and pets that the clans had accumulated, a naming system was created. Ivy Star, Clover Star and Flaming Star had also laid down a few rules that all clan cats should follow, but they were fairly simple, to prevent more Sandy Shores. Clover’s Clan had also gained two new members, Snowdriftpaw and Avalanchepaw, two rogue brothers who had already lived in the mixed forest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Overall, everyone is settling in perfectly fine to the territory, now peaceful and prospering. Fang is snapped from his thoughts by Brumekit showing him this </span>
  <em>
    <span>huge </span>
  </em>
  <span>butterfly. She has it crunched pretty well, so Fang tells her that butterflies are the spirits of cats long past, who watch over the living and help them to the afterlife. She spits the bug out and apologizes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, Omen decides it’s time to return home. Fang hangs back, though, wanting to hunt. He’s been cooped up in the nursery for far too long, and promises to bring his kits a nice &amp; juicy salamander.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He catches a tree frog and starts to hide it when he feels something watching him. Looking around, he finds he’s entered the part of the forest Midnight Pelt calls the Birch Ring, so not an unusual feeling. Fang continues to hunt for a few more hours. He’s above one of the territory’s several gullies, and feels watched again. The mud shucks something and Fang turns, looking into a gully. Inside, a ginger tabby has gotten his feet stuck in some. Fang calls out and rushes down. He spots a dead sapling and sticks it out to the stranger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The stranger grabs a branch and Fang pulls him to more secure land. The tom thanks him before freezing. Fang is about to reply when the tom shouts that She will have Her revenge!! He claws at Fang. Fang quickly pins down the tom, clearly inexperienced in fighting. Fang threatens to leave the stranger to drown in the mud, claws him up, and leaves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fang finds his catches and reflects. He’s dealt with angry rogues before, but he’s never heard anyone spout anything like </span>
  <em>
    <span>She will have Her revenge. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He drops his catches off at the Clover Clan ravine and trots off toward the Starpond in Ivy’s Clan territory, thinking the stars will have insight. Inside the pond, however, a school of bitterlings have shown up. Fang doesn’t believe fish are supposed to be in the pool, so he instead goes to Ivy’s camp to tell Starry Sky about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fang encounters a small patrol of Tiny Gust and Freckle Belly. He explains what’s happened, and the two explain that they’re just waking, but are sure Starry Sky won’t mind hearing about the status of her cool StarryClan Phone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Starry Sky doesn’t appreciate it being called </span>
  <em>
    <span>StarryClan </span>
  </em>
  <span>but all the rogues of the clan, that is, most of the other members, enjoy it, and get a good laugh out of her frustration. Bright Fern pipes up, stating that since </span>
  <em>
    <span>they </span>
  </em>
  <span>aren’t a Glare anymore, it’s only fair their ancestors are called a clan instead, too. With that, the warriors start the day, grabbing prey or heading out. Fang notes that Ivy’s cats have started to dig holes into the quarrylike camp walls, and Fang thinks it might be a good idea to ask them to dig some dens in Clover’s camp. However, the Starpond is more important, and he tells Starry Sky what he saw. Starry Sky has no clue how they got there, and decides to talk to Ivy Star in a little while about what to do. Fang agrees and heads home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dinner is about to start in Clover’s Clan. Fang greets his children and eats quickly before asking Gnarled Bark to watch them so he can speak to the council. He first tells Clover Star, Silver Night and Omen about the dugout dens, which they all enjoy, but Silver Night expresses concerns about the stability of their land’s dirt. Then, he tells them about the Starpond bitterlings, and no one is very pleased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clover Star, who has become very religious after Ivy’s resurrection, feels the immediate need to speak to Ivy Star and Starry Sky. Fang tells them they’re just waking up, and Clover Star decides to give them a little while to wake up. Fang finally retreats back to the nursery, where it’s naptime for his kits.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fang wakes up a little while later to find his kits gone. Nervous, he bolts out of the nursery shrub and into the gully clearing, only to find Snow Strike and Dust Storm batting around a moss ball with them. He goes up to them where Dust Storm apologizes for taking the kits, but they were getting restless and Fang just looked really peaceful. Fang thanks them before he spots Clover Star, Omen, Starry Sky and Ivy Star at the top of camp in a copse of saplings. Thinking this has something to do with the Starpond, he goes up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They’re speaking of how to get the fish out. Of course, the only logical answer is to fish them out. Clover Star calls Omen the best fisher, and wants him to teach some other cats how exactly to fish. Fang snorts and replies that Omen can’t fish. Clover Star asks about the catfish he brought the mountain cats, but Fang replies that </span>
  <em>
    <span>he </span>
  </em>
  <span>caught it. So, </span>
  <em>
    <span>he’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>asked to teach the other cats to fish. He agrees, though confides he’s only really good at catching big fish, and his sister was good at catching small ones. That </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>how she got her name, Bitterling. Unfortunately, Bitterling left with Speckled Pelt, so it’s up to Fang to catch the bitterlings in the Starpond.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clover Star finally asks if Ivy’s warriors could dig some dens in their gully. Ivy Star agrees to let her best diggers check around, and with that, she and Starry Sky leave. Clover Star asks Fang to train Avalanchepaw and Snowdriftpaw specifically. He agrees and remains nervous. He gathers the apprentices, and Gnarled Bark and Midnight Pelt come with. They head down to the lakeside and Fang teaches them the basics: avoid a reflection, be fast, try not to ripple the water. Snowdriftpaw and Gnarled Bark get it, but Avalanchepaw and Midnight Pelt struggle. Fang lets Snowdriftpaw and Gnarled Bark practise a little more before telling them what they need to do. They’re happy to help and get right to work.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They meet up with Eagle’s Wing, Pippin and Dawn Flower. They want to help, so Fang teaches them at the Starpond. It takes a few hours of very tedious fishing, but eventually, all the bitterlings are removed from the Starpond. Dawn Flower and Pippin gather some catalpa leaves, and split the fish evenly for prey. Fang and his patrol head home, ready to turn in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, Fang feels watched again. He looks around and is called out by Snowdriftpaw. Suddenly, though, five cats leap atop them and start attacking. Fang and Snowdriftpaw drop their prey and go to defend Gnarled Bark. Unfortunately, the five cats are too strong, and all three of the warriors get knocked out and their prey stolen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They wake up a little while later, and Fang has a bad feeling in his gut. However, Snowdriftpaw has been severely wounded, and he can’t dash back to camp. He and Gnarled Bark carry the apprentice back, trying to figure out what happened. In camp, several cats are wounded and Clover Star is counting heads. Omen is working as fast as he can and immediately ties some leaves to Snowdriftpaw. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clover Star somberly tells Fang what happened: their camp was raided by Speckled Pelt and a group of rogues, and Frogkit, Smokekit and Brumekit have been kidnapped. Fang feels a whirlwind of emotions and wants to find and tear Speckled Pelt apart right there, but he can’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cats settle and start to heal before turning in for the night, but several cats, including Fang and Omen, can’t sleep. Rollinghills of Flaming’s Clan comes into camp and tells Clover Star that Flaming Star has called an emergency meeting on the Island. Fang and Omen beg to come, just in case it could be about their kits. Clover Star agrees, and they head toward the Island. Sure enough, leaders and several queens are at the Island as well. Fang settles next to Tiny Gust and Roanpelt while the leaders speak in hushed voices. The queens share sorrowful tongues and keep glancing at the ‘stars, until they figure out what has happened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ivy Star steps up and explains. Speckled Pelt has gathered together a group of rogues hellbent on destroying the clans. She started in FlameClan, waiting until the lunchtime hunting patrols were out, before striking camp and raiding the nursery. They went on to Ivy’s Clan and finished with Clover’s Clan. Fang figures he was attacked specifically because he was Clover Star’s only queen, and that Speckled Pelt must be the </span>
  <em>
    <span>She </span>
  </em>
  <span>the rogue he rescued was referring to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ivy confirms that both of her grandkits, Fernkit and Merlinkit were taken. Flaming Star states that all five of his clan’s kits, Thistlekit, Mothkit, Anolekit and Harvesterkit were also taken. Fang can’t listen Clover Star repeat that his kits were taken. Now, they must figure out what to do. Obviously, all the queens immediately want to just waltz into Speckled Pelt’s camp and take their kits back. However, the clans don’t know where she came from, nor if the cats who attacked were all the cats she has. The three leaders agree to keep in touch and try to work out a plan, and all the queens sadly head home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Omen and Fang stay on the Island with the leaders for a while. Omen states that he thinks that the bitterlings in the Starpond were a sign, since Fang’s sister, Bitterling, had gone with Speckled Pelt. Clover Star states that the Stars Above </span>
  <em>
    <span>do </span>
  </em>
  <span>work in mysterious ways, and tells him and his husband to return home and get some rest. They do, but Fang highly doubts that he’ll be able to sleep. Omen replies that they were able to take care of Sandy Shore and rescue Light Paws all those moons ago, and the clans will be able to rescue the kits and defeat Speckled Pelt. Fang agrees and falls into a very uncomfortable sleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He has a nightmare about what Speckled Pelt or Bitterling will do to his kits, and wakes up a little after midnight. The moon is mostly full and Fang can see fine. He gets up and licks Omen’s head, promising that he will return, and he’ll have Frogkit, Smokekit and Brumekit with him. Remembering that the attacks started in Flaming’s Clan, Fang heads toward the Ivy Clan border, scratching a few trees along the way to sharpen his claws, and keeping his surroundings in check. He passes the first winged elm that marks the border, and continues on, grateful that Ivy has a less dense forest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t scratch Ivy’s trees so he doesn’t spread his scent, and eventually stops at a river and dirt cliff. Fang sits down and yowls out, frustrated that his journey has ended. He lashes his tail and tries to figure out how to climb the wall when all of a sudden, the bushes rustle. After being attacked one too many times, Fang immediately leaps toward the noise and pins the cat down. She cries out and Fang lets up, finding that it’s Tiny Gust. He backs up and rapidly apologizes for attacking her, explains how he keeps getting jumped by rogues, and now with his kits…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tiny Gust shrugs it off and explains she heard his yowl, and wanted to make sure he was alright. Fang replies that he was trying to get to Flaming’s Clan territory so he could track Speckled Pelt and his rogues and try to find his kits. Tiny Gust laughs and explains that she was doing the exact same thing. She asks to come with and, when Fang agrees, Tiny Gust shows him how to cross into Flaming’s territory. She leads him downwind, toward the lake, where the river shallows out and stands beside a mixture of soft-leaved shrubbery and herbs. Tiny Gust calls it the Sandy Islet and leads Fang over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The river also stands on the other side, just as shallow, and the two dash into Flaming’s territory. Unfortunately for them, it’s a very windy night, and Fang can only pick up flamelike scents. Tiny Gust has a go and catches a scent kinda like a bird, and decides to follow that one. They follow the spoor upwind in a patch of plants and several rabbit holes. A calico tail sticks out of one. Fang calls out. The cat backs out to reveal that she is Brambling. She greets the two kindly and explains that she, too, is trying to find the scent-trail of Speckled Pelt, but she’s never been good at tracking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tiny Gust comments that three noses are better than one and the three band together. Fang and Tiny Gust start to scent around, though the wind and rabbit tracks are not helping. Brambling states that Light Paws, River Shine and Strong Clouds had seen a patrol of rogues near the Tall-Grass, and that she, Roanpelt and Sika had scented Speckled Pelt near a deep arroyo near the middle of territory. Fang asks why she’s searching around here, then. Brambling replies with a small laugh and restates that she’s not a good tracker. Tiny Gust agrees that there are no scents in this depression that are unusual, and tells Brambling to lead the way to the arroyo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they reach there, Tiny Gust sniffs around while Brambling explains that this is where the clan trained their new members. Fang asks where the arroyo leads, but Brambling doesn’t know. Tiny Gust, the only cat here who hasn’t met Speckled Pelt, picks up a strange scent. Fang sniffs it and, although faint, can confirm it’s Speckled Pelt’s. It does smell a little more milky and a little more like blood, which is a bit worrying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The three of them run up the arroyo until it shallows out and disappears. Brambling sighs, thinking the trail is gone. However, Tiny Gust still has a scent. Fang convinces Brambling that finding their kits and showing Speckled Pelt the clans are strong are worth it, so Tiny Gust slowly leads them on. They reach a treeline, which Brambling states is the end of the territory. Neither she nor Tiny Gust have been outside of clan territory, but Fang isn’t scared. He pushes past the trees and weaves through the small forest for several tail-lengths before it clears out again, and he sees a chainlink fence. Fang calls it the Walkerlands, glances behind him to make sure Tiny Gust and Brambling are following, and hops over the fence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both of them question what walkers are, and Fang explains. Upwalkers are strange, tall creatures with colorful pelts who keep dogs, cats and other odd creatures and machines. Everything the upwalkers have can injure cats, so they need to keep very careful watch. Fang, Tiny Gust and Brambling weave through small patches of dirt with growing plants, encounter goats and sheep, and generally have a very nervous time. They reach the back of the large house that sits in the middle of the territory.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fang leads them around the house were they find a very lush pond. Fang says they should rest at the pond and grab a snack before heading further, to keep up their strength in case Speckled Pelt’s forces are near. Tiny Gust worries about Speckled Pelt living near the pond, but Fang replies that she and her rogues would have bluegrass for brains if they stayed so near to upwalkers. Brambling and Tiny Gust insist Fang rest, as he’s the oldest of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He complains about it, but does as he’s told. He watches the lake and sees the star’s reflection, all while wondering if Omen is awake and worrying about him. Fang regrets not telling Omen about his plan, but knows Omen never would’ve let him, and it’s all for the best. Tiny Gust catches two deer mice and Brambling gets a phoebe. All of them quickly swallow up the food, and keep edging the others to eat more despite the stress. Fang and Brambing are both very hard on Tiny Gust, as her kits are the youngest. She concedes, and Fang shoves the remains in the undergrowth and lets the mollies rest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In a little while, they’re all rejuvenated and stoked to find their kids. Tiny Gust has trouble picking up another cat scent with all the prey smells around, but Fang and Brambling encourage her. Tiny Gust picks up a scent, along with the scent of kitten. Specifically, her kittens! And, it’s getting stronger. Fang and Brambling sniff and, sure enough, they can smell their own kits, too!! All of them get very excited until Tiny Gust follows the trail and find that it leads- and pools-- at the upwalker dock atop the pond. The scent ends at the dock, but the kittens are </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>sitting on it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The three queens look into the pond as Fang recounts the stories his mother used to tell him of how upwalkers would kill kittens. Tiny Gust, without a moment’s hesitation, takes a running leap into the pond. Fang and Brambling both call out for her, nervous she’ll do something she’ll regret, but Tiny Gust pops up a few moments later and states she doesn’t see anything in the pond that’s unusual. They rejoice, glad their kittens aren’t sitting at the bottom, and help Tiny Gust out. Fang criticizes her for doing that, but Tiny Gust just explains that most of the cats in her clan can swim.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Brambling shockingly picks up a scent further along the dock. It’s stronger, just barely, and Tiny Gust sniffs it too to confirm it’s the same milky-blood scent. Sure enough it is, and the scents of their kittens are even fainter along with it. Fang theorizes that Speckled Pelt and her rogues must have been carrying the kits by the scruffs, and they must have set them down and rested on the dock. It’s a much more comforting idea and, with Tiny Gust’s investigation and the new scent, they’re willing to believe it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sky is starting to turn gray, and Fang thinks they must have rested for longer than they meant to, and that Clover’s Clan- and Omen- are probably waking up around now, and worrying where he is. Fang decides that he’s come too far to turn back now, and states that Speckled Pelt most likely didn’t move all that far away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They circle around the pond and hop over another fence. Now they stand on a gravel road, and Tiny Gust is struggling to pick up a scent above the smell of motor oil and exhaust. Fang takes the lead and declares they will keep passing through yards until they can catch the scent again, all while thinking it’s just like Speckled Pelt to hide her scent with cars.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they enter another garden, Brambling spots a tiny rock in the center of a ring of crushed grass. She nears and states that there’s a fossil in the rock, and her kits </span>
  <em>
    <span>love </span>
  </em>
  <span>finding fossil-rocks. Plus, she can smell her scent all over it. Clearly they’re going the right way. Fang lets her take the lead, with her nose down to the ground, trying to smell her kittens. It’s hard, but she’s leading them someplace. They cross through another yard and come across a pasture with a different kind of fence. Inside are several sheep and goats, and one whole dog. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Reasonably they’re nervous, especially with how close the dog is to the fence. It has its neck stretched out far from the fence, sniffing something from the ditch that Fang, Brambling and Tiny Gust have to walk through. Brambling states that Autumn used to tell her that dogs hated cats and would attack them whenever they could. Tiny Gust replies that if that’s true, then a cat must have been in that place. Fang says it must be Speckled Pelt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They carefully circle nearer the road, avoiding the dog, though it does bark it’s head off. They dash off when it even </span>
  <em>
    <span>seems </span>
  </em>
  <span>like it could escape the fence, but Tiny Gust stops suddenly when she sees a hole in the ground. She nears it and can see a few worms inside the hole, and gets excited. She says Fernkit </span>
  <em>
    <span>loves </span>
  </em>
  <span>worms, and must’ve helped one into the hole. She can smell her scent, and barely makes out Speckled Pelt’s above the car-smell. Fang stands on his hind paws on the upwalker driveway and looks toward the end of the road.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He describes a treeline and can see a huge pasture, much like Flaming’s Clan territory. Brambling theorizes that Speckled Pelt must have wanted to find a territory much like their old one, and figures they should try searching there. So, the three run in that direction with a new determination in their eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They pass another pond and a few more buildings, but do not stop until they reach an intersection. It isn’t any thicker than the other road, and is still rather empty. Tiny Gust scents the air, and can faintly smell other cats, but car is still the strongest scent. Fang crosses without much thought, and nears the barb wire fence on the other side. Several trees sit behind the fence, but there is little undergrowth- upwalker garbage, though- and he can see through it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There is a clearing and then another fence, and a pond sits behind it all. He walks along the fence to a clearer spot and notices a big steel, rusting building almost like an upwalker house. It sits below a hill, and a few cats sit on top of the hill. Brambling and Tiny Gust rush over and look as well. Fang recognizes two of the cats as ones who attacked him, and another as the one who he rescued from the mud. Tiny Gust counts eight cats.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, Fang slides under the fence, trying not to get pricked or make a sound. Brambling and Tiny Gust follow, and the three hide in a copse of trees behind a rotten fence and a few stones. Tiny Gust makes sure the wind won’t push their scent in that direction. From this place, they can hear the cats chatting. They’re talking about the dumb clan cats and how easy it was to take the kits. The queens are reasonably furious, but know that three sad and nervous cats won’t be able to take on eightish cats at once, and nor do they want to put their kits lives in even more danger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, a yowl rings out. The queens look around to make sure they haven’t been spotted, but realize it’s coming from the hill. Speckled Pelt and Hope appear from below the hill, seemingly from the barn. They group the cats up in several groups of three, and each group goes off running into a different part of the pasture. Speckled Pelt and Hope go off, too. Tiny Gust states that it looks like the morning hunting patrols, and that all the cats must be gone. Fang, though, didn’t recognize his sister. Despite her actions, he wonders if she is still </span>
  <em>
    <span>with </span>
  </em>
  <span>Speckled Pelt and her group. He speaks up, saying that they should wait to make sure the patrols are far enough away that they won’t be able to help the kits, who he guesses are in the one shelter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They wait several painstaking minutes before none of them can take it anymore. Fang leads them through the fences into the plain. Brambling takes note of a fence with less sharp holes and less undergrowth, and tells Fang that they can escape that way. Suddenly, Tiny Gust worries if they’ll be able to grab all the kits in one go. Brambling insists that the Flaming Clan kits can already run as fast as the wind, that’s what Flaming’s cats </span>
  <em>
    <span>do. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Her nerves are soothed, certain she can carry at least one kit in her mouth and a couple on her back. Fang supports the idea and continues to crouch along the pondside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The side of the barn is in view, and Fang can see several colorful shapes inside. Tiny Gust recognizes Fernkit, and Brambling recognizes Thistlekit. Fang can’t see his kits in the lighting but are sure they’re in there, too. He tells Tiny Gust and Brambling to sneak in from the side and wait until he checks out the front in case of a bodyguard. They’re a bit annoyed that Fang doesn’t want them taking on a bodyguard, but Fang replies that he’s worried it’s his sister. He says he knows all her weaknesses, and it will be easy to fight her so long as they can get the kits out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So, the plan is put into action. Sure enough, Bitterling is kit-sitting and is being rude to the kittens, and crushing their dreams, making fun of their names, being a dick. Fang calls out and she slowly struts up. She asks him how it’s been to live with the forest cats who kicked out a tom for a crush, and Fang retorts, stating Bitterling knows exactly what that </span>
  <em>
    <span>tom </span>
  </em>
  <span>did. She shrugs and states that she’s glad she can carry on the legacy. When Fang asks what she means she tells him about how scheming and leaderly her and Sandy Shore’s daughter, Aether, is. Behind her, Tiny Gust’s eyes go wide, but they continue to usher the kits out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Brambling wags her tail to alert Fang to come on, so Fang ends the conversation with how </span>
  <em>
    <span>lovely </span>
  </em>
  <span>it was to see his sister again. Bitterling is suspicious and looks behind her, but Fang is gone in a flash. He picks up a lagging kit, Merlinkit of Ivy’s Clan, and follows Brambling and Tiny Gust. Bitterling is yowling and right on their tails. They come to the gate, where Tiny Gust and Brambling can leap over, but the kits cannot. Fang knows that Bitterling will catch them if he stops, so he shoves Merlinkit forward and turns around, tearing at his sister’s ears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fang ends up ripping across her throat and kicking her backward. Blood pours from her and renders her unable to move for just long enough. Fang leaps over the fence and picks up Thistlekit, who is the most beaten up. Tiny Gust carries Merlinkit in her mouth and Frogkit on her back, while Brambling carries Fernkit in her mouth and Brumekit on her back. Fang quickly leans down, gathering up Smokekit. With that, the patrol dashes away back toward the clanlands, the only time that they glance back is to make sure Mothkit, Anolekit and Harvesterkit are keeping up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They make it, on the opposite side of the road, in front of the big house. Brambling and Fang, as well as the Flaming Clan kits are gasping for air. Tiny Gust tries to encourage them, saying they’re in the home stretch. Then she says that, as apprentices, she and her brother found a small path between the big house that bordered Flaming’s Clan, and the smaller house that bordered Ivy’s Clan. It’s just big enough for three cats and a few kits to walk single file down. Brambling and Fang agree, hustle the kits into a line with Tiny Gust leading, the kits in the middle, and Brambling and Fang in the back, and cross the road.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tiny Gust leads them down the driveway scree, ignoring the odd trees and undergrowth that sit nearby. Smokekit complains that he’s hungry, but Fang promises that he will be fed and warm and safe soon, they just need to make it back to camp. After that, all the kits start chattering. Mothkit talks about the fossil-rock, and Fernkit about the worms, and Thistlekit about why she’s so torn up, and Anolekit about how mean they were, and Brumekit about how much she hated the road, and Frogkit about how much he missed his dads!! The queens happily listen to everything, eventually reaching a treeline. Through the small forest are a set of stair-like rocks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tiny Gust informs them that they're closest to Ivy’s camp, and states they should head there to feed the kits. Fang and Brambling agree, and set down the kits on their backs and mouths. Fang still holds Thistlekit because of her intense injuries. Brambling wants to get to the camp as fast as they can to treat the wounds, so they power walk through the forest, with the kits still chattering. The kits eventually stop and slug along, being tired and a little traumatized and all. Tiny Gust calls out from atop the camp wall, before helping the kits down the bramble tunnel entrance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cats all meow their happiness that she wasn't kidnapped as well. Ivy Star immediately calls for Eagle’s Wing and Fox Mask to run to the other clans and alert them of the kits and queens return. Starry Sky grabs Thistlekit and Dawn Flower looks at the other kits. Everycat crowds around and ask what the cats need. Ivy Star pushes them away and greets her daughter. Tiny Gust states they only need food and rest. Merlinkit and Fernkit tuck into her stomach while the other kits and queens lay down. They're given more prey than they can eat and take it gratefully. Fang can't help but be nervous, though, that Speckled Pelt will try to take the kits again. He tells Ivy Star as much, and she tells her runners to relay the message.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The queens and kits are moved one last time, into the new dugout nursery, and they all settle in for a very long nap. Fang wakes around noon, and exits the den. Omen, Clover Star, Flaming Star, Sika and Roanpelt are in camp as well. Omen greets Fang, calls him an idiot, and licks his face gratefully. Fang jokes about how messed up his sleeping schedule must be, and Roanpelt jokes that Clover’s cats have wild sleeping schedules regardless. Both queens ask to see their kits, and the nursery becomes very crowded. Fang stays out, ready to be asked about Speckled Pelt’s cats if need be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sure enough, he's bombarded with, and answers questions. He knows where Speckled Pelt is, how many cats she has, and, yes, they </span>
  <em>
    <span>were </span>
  </em>
  <span>spotted taking the kits back. Speckled Pelt certainly knows where the clans are, and is almost certainly on her way to take them on. Flaming Star theorizes that her territory is nearest his, and Fang confirms, but it takes a little while to get there. Flaming Star nods and tells his queens to stay with Ivy. He and his warriors will keep watch of the furthest side of the territory for when Speckled Pelt arrive. Brambling and Sika, however, are more than willing to fight. Fox Mask, Pippin and Dawn Flower swear to watch the nursery, as Tiny Gust and Fang wish to fight as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Flaming Star agrees, and will gather his warriors and wait. Clover Star leaves to gather her warriors nearer to Flaming’s Clan territory and everycat waits for a runner. While waiting, Starry Sky reveals that Thistlekit has had one of her eyes torn out, but otherwise, her injuries are completely healable. Brambling and Fox Mask are reasonably upset, but keep telling their daughter how she’ll be a great warrior and how they’ll always love her regardless. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Several hours go by. The cats talk, play-fight and relax, but the general mood is very tense. Fang starts to wonder if Flaming Star was defeated. Clover’s cats start to fall asleep. Clover Star and Ivy Star are discussing what to do. Fang comes up and begs to lead a patrol, just to make sure things are going okay. After all, Speckled Pelt has jumped patrols before, and if Flaming Star sent out any, she could do it again. Ultimately, they agree. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fang gathers Silver Night, Brambling, Tiny Gust and Snowdriftpaw, and they head toward Flaming’s territory. In a little dry dell, the patrol find a cat attacking Rollinghills, who is laying on the ground and bleeding out, eyes glazed. Silver Night recognizes the cat as Avalanchepaw, and calls him out. Avalanchepaw pledges his allegiance to Speckled Pelt, how he was always a spy, and such like that. Before they can ask anything else, Avalanchepaw rushes toward Flaming’s camp. Brambling and Snowdriftpaw run back to Ivy’s camp, while Tiny Gust, Fang and Silver Night run after Avalanchepaw. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Flaming’s camp is alive with flying fur and dust. A few bodies are laying, pained, around. Speckled Pelt’s cats continue to claw them, just to keep them down. Fang spots two cats ganging up on Sleeping Willow, and leaps into battle. He claws one’s ears and kicks it away, taking on the other cat and letting Sleeping Willow slip away. Fang alternates between whichever cats draw near, hardly hearing Ivy’s yowl and not seeing her cats leap into battle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fang comes face-to-face with Bitterling. She swears her revenge and they each claw eachother up, good. They claw eachother’s throats, but Bitterling is weaker, and Fang is able to kick her away. He hurts, and is tired, but he must keep fighting. He spies two cats who resemble Sandy Shore ganging up on Tiny Gust, insulting her and being rude. They leap on her, and Fang joins in. Tiny Gust goes for one’s throat, but unfortunately, Fang is too weak against the other one. He is kicked away and his world goes black…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wakes up a few hours later. Leaves are tied around his throat, along with several types of smushed flower petals. He tries to sit up, but Omen shushes him and keeps him laying down. Fang, woozy, drowsy and out-of-it asks Omen if he’s reached the Stars Above, but Omen states that he is very much alive. Omen calls for a little Fang love, and Fang can feel three bundles curl up all around him. Secure and safe, he falls asleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he wakes up again, the moon is out and his kits have moved. Scared the battle is lost, Fang tries to rise to his paws. Omen rushes over and keeps him laying down before offering him some wet moss and a small fish. He grabs a drink and asks about his kits, hoarse. Omen says that they’re safe and the battle has been won. He then jokes that Speckled Pelt won’t be messing with the clans for a while, but unfortunately, the clans weren’t as lucky…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fang looks behind him to find several other cats. Mourning Dove, Bright Fern, Sleeping Willow, Rollinghills, Waxycapfur, Snow Strike, Gnarled Bark and Snowdriftpaw are all laying, or chatting quietly, all clearly alive. Snowdriftpaw is struggling, with both Starry Sky and Shattered Spots doting on him. Clover Star comes over, and sees him clearly clinging to life. She calls all cats to attention and acknowledges Snowdriftpaw’s bravery in battle, even when his brother had betrayed him, as well as his speed and ability as a runner. She names him Snowdriftstalk, so that, if he were going to the Stars Above that night, he could at least go with a warrior name. Snowdriftstalk thanks her, before Starry Sky insists he rest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clover Star leaves and sits beside a cat Fang can’t see, with her head hung. He shakily stands, leaning on Omen, and walks through Flaming’s camp. The worst wounded cats are sitting in or around the medicine den, an old rabbit’s burrow, while the less wounded and dead are resting around camp. Several cats lick their wounds as Starry Sky walks around, applying herbs where she can. Light Paws, Flaming Star, Sleeping Willow, Eagle’s Wing, Strong Clouds and Tiny Gust mourn River Spark and Crimson Night. Comet, Casper and Monsoon both mourn over Rosemary. All alone, though, Fang sees Clover Star, who sits above Silver Night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fang nears her and consoles his leader, telling her he went out defending who and what he loved. Clover Star curls her tail in front of her stomach and replies that she knows. No one speaks, but just like when Ivy first died, every cat stays awake mourning their clanmates until the sun rises.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, Clover Star gets up and checks on each of her cats individually. Omen goes with, leaving Fang to sit with Silver Night. He apologizes to him, and presses his muzzle into Silver Night’s mane. He accidentally falls asleep, only to wake up at noon. Snow Strike, Gnarled Bark and Snowdriftstalk are both getting on well, if a bit wobbly, and he feels stronger as well. Clover Star decides her cats are ready to return home. She bonks her head against Flaming Star’s, and pads up the dirt path. She and Midnight Pelt carry Silver Night’s body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Back at their own camp, Fang eats some soft food and cuddles with his children and mate. His kids are very proud of him for fighting so hard and earning such a sick scar, and Omen can’t help but be happy either. Soon though, Clover Star calls him away, and they meet at the top of the gorge in her copse of trees. Clover Star tells him that she needs a cat to keep her in check and bounce ideas off of, to keep her from turning into Sandy Shore or Speckled Pelt. Fang doubts that she ever could, but she continues. She reflects on Fang’s actions and perseverance during the battle and theft, and asks him to be her new deputy, and eventually succeed her in her place. Fang decides to think it over, and Clover Star agrees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few weeks go by, and Fang is invited to the moonly Gathering at the island between Ivy and Flaming Star’s territory. Clover’s Clan, as usual, is the last to arrive, and they meet some of Ivy’s warriors keeping the underwater path in check. Snowdriftstalk meets with Rollinghills, and Fang seeks out Tiny Gust and Brambling. They chat about their kits for a while before Brambling announces that she has a surprise. Fang has one too, and they all get very hyped for eachother. Finally, the stars hop onto the big live oak branch and call the Gathering to order. Flaming Star starts, announcing that his clan has healed well and that he has found a replacement deputy in Brambling. The clan cats cheer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ivy Star announces much of the same, congratulating Flaming Star. Finally, Clover Star speaks. Her clan is healing well, but this will be the last Gathering she will be attending for two seasons, because she is pregnant. Fang is announced, both as her deputy and stand-in, until the kit starts training. Fang relishes in the praise, he gets a nuzzle from his friends and mate. He looks up to the stars, hoping Bitterling is happy with herself, because </span>
  <em>
    <span>he </span>
  </em>
  <span>sure is.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Redstrike's Blood</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i've had this story in my head since i was, like, 9 so thats why this is so long.</p><p>this doesnt take place after Vows, but it's the next story i knew the most abt sooo thats why i wrote it out next.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Gullsong tells the kits stories of her deputyship and Dawnstar’s leadership, and how Willowgaze has been refusing to get his lives. They are interrupted by Rabbitfleck and Rosewind at sunset. The kits are prettied up by Rabbitfleck, Rosewind and Spidersting while waiting for their ceremony. Willowstar, now, hops atop the Lakerock. He retires Swallowwhisker due to his arthritis, he appoints Dapplefoot as his deputy, and outs Hawkkit. Then, he upgrades all four of the kits to apprentices. Redpaw gets Driftskip, Hawkpaw gets Doveheart, Newtpaw gets Thistlespots, and Dustpaw gets Silverflash.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Acornpaw and Lionpaw introduce themselves, telling the new sprouts how things work around here. The sprouts make up their beds, with Newtpaw and Dustpaw struggling a bit. Redpaw pretends to sleep, then sneaks into the nursery to grab her Sleepytime Catalpa Pod. Then, she sleeps without a hitch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next morning, Silverflash and Driftskip take them on a tour of the territory, giving them all the main sights. The Training Hollow, the Flower Field, and the Climbing Tree. Cocky, Newtpaw tries to hop up beside his father, but he lands in a bed of ants. Immediately, they rush him to the Border River. After Newtpaw gets cleaned off and there’s a small water fight, Silverflash challenges everyone to a race. Driftskip loses on purpose to prevent anyone from getting lost. After a quick rest and visit from Acornpaw and Lionpaw, getting told what to do by Fawnspark, Redpaw and Driftskip head out for some training.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Driftskip explains the curriculum, and they end up back at the border river. He starts to teach Redpaw the proper fishing technique, when they are interrupted by a kit-like scream. Redpaw leaps into the river without another thought, and soon tracks down a small cream scrap. She drifts down the river, drowning slowly and not knowing how to swim. Suddenly, her ears are bombarded with various cries of “blood alone can rule our clan,” and “blood alone can </span>
  <em>
    <span>save </span>
  </em>
  <span>our clan.” Finally, one voice pipes up loudly, telling Redpaw to save herself. Redpaw tells the voices that they’re bloody wrong if they think she’d leave a kit in danger, and struggles harder against the water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It seems the bottom of the river is rising with her, and Redpaw is worried she won’t be able to get up. Eventually, she bumps against Driftskip, who is standing with the water hardly touching his belly. As Driftskip helps Redpaw and Splatterkit, in her jaws, out of the water, two cats from FlameClan leap over the bank and stand in front of her. A cream-and-brown molly starts praising Redpaw and licking Splatterkit. The three make an arrangement for Splatterkit to be checked over in IvyClan, and they head back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Redpaw tries to pass out as soon as she reaches the medicine den. She is kept awake by Jittertail claiming Splatterkit cursed, and refusing to treat him. Squirrelpaw fights and takes care of him himself. Redpaw simply covers her ears and falls asleep. A ghoul watches her silently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few hours later, Redpaw wakes up with Splatterkit curled in her stomach. She sits up and is given some drugs. Splatterkit wakes up as well, and the two talk for a while about how each of their clans work. After a little while, they step out of the den. Jittertail is sitting on Healer’s Lookout, flicking her tail and staring at the lake. Splatterkit hides behind Redpaw and tells her he has nightmares about that cat. Redpaw curls her tail around Splatterkit protectively. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’s spotted by Driftskip and Rabbitfleck, who scold and praise her for saving Splatterkit. Now awake, the clan fawn over Splatterkit and the way both his tails wiggle waggle. At half-high setting, Appleheart shows up in IvyClan to collect the kit. Splatterkit welcomes her warmly, and wants to invite Redpaw along. Appleheart asks Driftskip and Willowstar, who both say “why not!” Redpaw and Splatterpaw return to FlameClan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There, Redpaw meets the other flammy apprentices, Rookpaw, Marigoldpaw and Dawnpaw. Dawnpaw gives her a fossil, and Rookpaw offers her some sundance tea. Redpaw doesn’t know what tea is, but luckily, Rookpaw very quickly explains. Rookpaw talks much too fast for Redpaw to understand more than a few words, though. Redpaw and Driftskip return back to IvyClan at sunset, the other apprentices ask her what it was like over there, but Redpaw is much too tired to explain then, and will in the morning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Redpaw dreams of a forest full of catalpa trees with falling flowers and broken, ripe pods. After a little while, she catches the scent of a blackbird, and goes on to try and hunt it. She finds her shape within the darkness, not noticing how the forest has dulled and darker around her. Before she has a chance to pounce, the shape turns around, and Redpaw is met by sharp, bright hazel eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cat calls her a poppet, very brave, and how she will be an excellent hunter. She compares Redpaw’s pelt to that of blood, and a cardinal, calls her beautiful and tells her any cat would be lucky to marry her. Redpaw flushes, never being spoken to like this before. The cat calls herself Circe, and offers to teach Redpaw all the fighting moves she knows, so she can become the best warrior in the clans. Redpaw, dissatisfied that her week will be filled with hunting, rapidly agrees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Circe squares up, and tells Redpaw to do the same. Before Redpaw knows what is happening, Circe has leaped over her, bounced around, and is sinking her teeth into Redpaw’s leg. Redpaw whimpers and tries to curl around, but Circe throws her to the ground by her leg. Finally, Circe lets go and asks Redpaw what she did. Redpaw explains the best she can, when Circe says she will do it again, and that Redpaw should pay more attention this time. Redpaw doesn't want to be harmed again, but obeys. Next time, she explains what Circe did perfectly. Circe orders Redpaw to try the same on her, but Circe manages to buck and spring off Redpaw’s face, far away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Redpaw tells her that wasn't fair, but Circe states that she was teaching Redpaw how to defend against that attack. Redpaw is bleeding heavily and sore, and tries to catch Circe off guard. She is not strong enough to flip her, but she can keep Circe pinned there. Circe congratulates her and claims to give up. Redpaw lets her go, only for Circe to kick her in the neck and roll away. Circe gives her her second lesson: cats only give up when they are dead. Redpaw sites the code that forbids warriors to kill, so Circe revises her rule: cats only give up when they are within an inch of their life. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before Redpaw can say anything else, Circe declares they are out of time, and that she would love to meet with her little poppet again next moonrise. Before she goes, though, she tells Redpaw that she is the Blood that Stains the Prairie. Redpaw flushes and agrees, then rushes off the way she came on Circe’s instruction. She admires the trees until she grows groggy, and she once again wakes into the living world.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She is woken by her denmates, so she can tell the story before they start their duties. Redpaw does as asked. She wants to tell them about the cool moves that Circe taught her, but Doveheart enters the den and takes them all out. Fawnspark calls out for Acornpaw and Lionpaw, who get started on their duties. Doveheart and Willowstar are the two warriors left, there to take the young apprentices on the Wake Patrol.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Willowstar takes Redpaw and Newtpaw, while Doveheart takes Dustpaw and Hawkpaw. Willowstar takes the apprentices to the opposite border, where the bushes become tangled, the ground becomes damp, and the trees start to weep needles. Newtpaw asks why they can't cross that border, if there are only two clans. Willowstar explains that IvyClan has all the territory it needs, and that loners and other such creatures need that land for their own lives. They mark the border with the Ivylike Odor to warn passing cats they are entering other clowder’s territory.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Redpaw asks what a clowder is, and Willowstar explains that it's sort of like a clan, but a lot more loose, without ranks, medicine, and without the guide of their ancestors. Redpaw is shocked at the thought of cats who don't have StarClan. Newtpaw asks why Willowstar called them a clowder, and he answers that it's because other cats do not know what </span>
  <em>
    <span>“clans” </span>
  </em>
  <span>are. Redpaw then asks if they will ever have to fight the clowders, to which Willowstar states that they very well might. They continue on, though none of the sights are particularly exciting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually, after being taught to scratch and rub their cheeks on things every few tails, Newtpaw and Redpaw hang back. Newtpaw tells Redpaw about the dream he had last night, and it sounds a lot like Redpaw’s. Redpaw tells them as such, and both of them get very hopeful that they might see eachother again tonight. Willowstar hears them chattering, and asks if they marked the last few trees. They get embarrassed as they realize they haven't, and then to do that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The patrol keep scratching and scraping, and eventually spot Doveheart and her apprentices on the other side of the Flower Field. Willowstar states that they will meet at the thin line of trees, where they can report news with eachother. Redpaw and Newtpaw try to hurry along, stoked to speak to their friends. Finally, they make it around, though the adults are on their heels. Before Newtpaw and Redpaw can discuss their dreams, Hawkpaw asks why the border ends at this thin treeline.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doveheart explains, up the stoney hill are where the Upwalkers live. Then, she offers to show them. Willowstar agrees to take his apprentices. They all climb up, pretending to be strong warriors ready to wage war on pets. Willowstar has to remind them that they are becoming guests of the pets, and that pets are friends unless they do harm to the clans. Newtpaw doesn't like this sentiment, but the other sprouts agree and carry on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They arrive at a chain link fence, where the sprouts interlace their paws and look over. It's a very big field, but there are two baby catalpa trees on one side. A strange den-like thing and two upwalker camps sit in the field, and in another field behind it. Dustpaw asks if any pets live there. Doveheart answers that two loners who are friends of the upwalkers live in the lesser-camp, the Shed, and that two small dogs live in the home. Willowstar adds, only one of dogs ever enters the Pasture, and that so long as the cats do not enter the area of the Shed, they'll be safe. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dustpaw is confused- aren’t loners who are friends of upwalkers pets? Willowstar explains that pets live with upwalkers, but loners who are friends with upwalkers do not. They are wild cats who sometimes live in clowders, but might take food or shelter provided by upwalkers. Dustpaw asks what a clowder is, so Doveheart explains in a similar way to Willowstar. A motion catches Newtpaw’s eye, and he cries out and points. The patrol look over. It the distance, a golden shape is moving. The apprentices puff up and beg to chase after it. Doveheart agrees, and teaches them how to balance on top of the fence. Steadily, they make their way over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fence curves very far, but the cat is near. Redpaw notices the curve, and can see the glint of the river. She asks if that’s FlameClan territory, to which Doveheart agrees. Hawkpaw asks why FlameClan territory is shorter. Doveheart simply states that that is where the upwalkers put the fence, and that FlameClan territory is wider to make up for the lost tails of space. The big golden cat stands and waves, before returning to liking himself. Willowstar explains, clan cats should only enter other cat’s territory if they are invited. Doveheart says that those pet’s territory is about the size of each of the clan’s territory, to the apprentice’s amazement. Then Willowstar looks to the sky and realizes that it’s waking hour, and the patrol had better get back to greet them all, and so Willowstar can set the day’s activities.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sprouts rush back. During breakfast, Redpaw and Newtpaw explain that they dreamt up cats who taught them battle moves. Hawkpaw chirps and states that he dreamt about hunting with Doveheart, and Dustfeather dreamt about swimming with Silverflash. Redpaw hopes they have battle dreams soon, and that maybe they’ll see eachother in their dreams! Dustpaw and Hawkpaw get excited at the idea, but Newtpaw doesn’t say anything else. After breakfast, Driftskip and Silverflash take out Redpaw and Dustpaw out to teach them the hunting crouch. Redpaw is very excited, knowing she wants to show Driftskip her move as soon as she can.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Redpaw, Driftskip, Dustpaw and Silverflash all return home when the setting sun’s last claws are just leaving the sky. Hawkpaw immediately comes rushing up, showing Redpaw a cool snail he found. Redpaw bounces happily, and both of them run to tell their mothers. Rabbitfleck is very interested, and explains what type of snail it is, and interesting facts. Rosewind, uncomfortable, instructs Hawkpaw to let it go on the Apprentice Tree. Rabbitfleck asks them to share dinner, but Hawkpaw says that the other apprentices are gonna share all their scary stories tonight. Redpaw hadn’t heard of this and gets very excited, so the two run off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Squirrelpaw happily hops over, and tells Redpaw and Hawkpaw that Lionpaw caught a jackrabbit fat enough to feed every apprentice. Even more excited, the three of them squeeze into the den. After settling, Lionpaw places the jackrabbit in the middle of the den, and the apprentices all start to share and recount things that happened that day. When everyone is stuffed, they crumble together all the bones and set it atop the stump.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they all crawl back in, it’s time to share spooky stories… Lionpaw tells about the time all the dead cats rose up, possessed by evil spirits, but luckily, Moonstar was able to save the clans. Acornpaw tells of the mysterious clan on the other side of the border, who wiped out another clan beside them, and how their spirits still wander the woods, looking for revenge on the cats who killed them. Squirrelpaw tells them a pretty lame story about the medicine cat who killed every cat who entered their den. Hawkpaw then hops up, surprisingly, and tells the Legend of Shore’s Teeth, in FlameClan territory, and how they’ve claimed more spirits than the clans have ever had; how the dirt there is red because of all the blood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s the best story of the night, and the other sprouts are amazed. Hawkpaw states he’s been thinking about it since he first heard of Shore’s Teeth. Dustpaw is pretty scared, but Lionpaw curls around her and tells her that it’s all just make believe. Hawkpaw curls up near Redpaw and asks if she was scared, but she says she totally wasn't, before sleeping and once again meeting with Circe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Circe scolds her for being late, then she and Redpaw once again try and master the ol Twist’n’Flip. After a few tries, Redpaw licks her ear and asks about Newtpaw. Circe’s eyes sparkle and she gladly finds her cohort, Lavenderstalk, who is training Newtpaw. They greet eachother happily and purr, and Circe smiles that that's exactly the kind of friendship she wants the two to have.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Newtpaw and Redpaw ask about the other clans apprentices, so Circe says only the cats who do Important Things get extra training like this, and neither Dustpaw and Hawkpaw haven't done anything. Redpaw saved Splatterkit from the river, and Newtpaw managed to kill an entire colony of ants. Redpaw thinks Newtpaw’s task is a bit strange, but doesn't comment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Circe then explains why the two are being trained: recently all dead cats have heard of an omen that states that </span>
  <em>
    <span>blood alone can rule our clans. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Newtpaw is a descendant of Ivystar, thus destined to lead IvyClan; and Redpaw is a descendant of Flamingstar, thus destined to lead FlameClan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Redpaw asks if she must leave IvyClan, and Circe says yes, though she </span>
  <em>
    <span>should </span>
  </em>
  <span>complete her training first. And, if she wishes, qualify as a deputy before swapping clans. After the explanation, Lavenderstalk states that they must be the most powerful cats who have ever lived. She then tells them to have a battle in order to assess their skill. Redpaw uses Circe’s move and manages to win, much to Newtpaw’s annoyance. Circe claims her </span>
  <em>
    <span>ready, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and that tomorrow her training will </span>
  <em>
    <span>intensify.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Redpaw wakes up the next morning expecting to be set on the Wake Patrol. However, several warriors have left on the wake patrol, leaving Redpaw and the other sprouts alone with Silverflash and Thistlespots. Thistlespots instructs them to check on Squirrelpaw and Jittertail. They give each apprentice a pawful of bile-soaked moss. They sit near their stump and are taught how to remove ticks. The siblings wash eachother, and Redpaw can hardly handle the stench. Silverflash takes the apprentices to clean the warriors, but Thistlespots decides Little Queen Kit-Saver Redpaw can do the elders by herself. Redpaw doesn't want to cause a fuss, so she goes right along.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thistlespots watches judgingly from the shadows. Redpaw cannot handle doing this task, or the stink. She keeps retching and, eventually, it wakes up Gullsong who </span>
  <em>
    <span>demands </span>
  </em>
  <span>Redpaw cease working. Thistlespots argues that this is the apprentice’s job, and Gullsong argues that she knows Thistlespots couldn't do it on her first try either (and, in fact, never tried again afterwards.) Redpaw promises to try again next time, and Gullsong pushes the task on Thistlespots to complete. She watches Redpaw scornfully as she skips out of the den.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silverflash gives Redpaw a little tap on the head and asks her to instead find all the prey around camp. He gives her the instructions and Redpaw does her task, finding a few rotten pieces and bringing them to the center of camp. Silverflash smiles and, by then, all cats have finished their tasks. Silverflash states that Redpaw and Hawkpaw can eat breakfast and wait in camp for their mentors to wake, while Dustpaw and Newtpaw will start their daily training.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hawkpaw makes fun of Redpaw over breakfast. Afterwards, Squirrelpaw calls her to the medicine den, and she speaks to Squirrelpaw about how he manages to make that mixture every week. He says not much better than Redpaw, and gives her a quick checkup. Redpaw sees Jittertail muttering to herself and quickly leaves. By then, Doveheart and Driftskip have woken. They decide it’s time to start battle training, and take the sprouts to the Training Hollow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They learn easy moves like frontal attacks and defensive moves. Eventually, it turns into a small game of capture the flag, first with the apprentices and their mentors against eachother, and then mentor v. apprentice. A few more fake battles break out before it’s rest time. Afterwards, they evolve into more difficult mores- partner battling, tail-pulls, pins, ect. Redpaw decides it’s the perfect opportunity to show off the move she learned with Circe. Both the adults are very surprised, and ask where she learned such a move. Nervous, Redpaw replies that she just dreamt it up some night. Here, Redpaw learns that battle is half-practise and half-improv, and the adults praise her creativity. Redpaw thinks she can see Circe’s spirit watching over her as they return home in the setting sun…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another night, another thing the older apprentices want to do. This time, it’s midnight sneak outs. It should be fairly easy to sneak past Mistblaze, so they plan and get out without a hitch. Now out, they decide to try and contact ghosts. Acornpaw scratches some signs on the ground near the western border and gets a rock. Each cat places a paw on the rock and Acornpaw explains the rules. The rock moves, much to the apprentice’s terror. Acornpaw reads out what the ghost says as the bushes beside them rustle. Redpaw and Dustpaw want to pussy out, but before they can, two cats leap from the bushes and yowl. It’s just Lionpaw and Newtpaw, but they don’t know what yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All the cats get a good laugh out of this, but their good time is ruined by a </span>
  <em>
    <span>real </span>
  </em>
  <span>mysterious cat. The scolds the clanners for coming into the clowderlands, all of them apologize profusely, and head to the other side of the territory. In the Sandy Islet, they meet with the three FlameClan apprentices. The kindle play-fight and talk and tell stories over a bonfire until sunrise. They bid eachother farewell and go to sleep until the Wake Patrol needs them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The IvyClan apprentices are allowed to sleep until noon, and give their mentors a small break. They tease their sprouts, and all six apprentices and mentors head toward the Training Hollow for more fighting. They get no breaks today, and all of them sleep </span>
  <em>
    <span>hard </span>
  </em>
  <span>when they come back home. Circe is even more annoyed at how Redpaw and Newtpaw skipped training last night, and tells them to prove their loyalty. They must work together and fight a huge tabby tom. They win, hardly, and continue with the ghostly training.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The apprentices learn the basics of hunting, fighting and swimming, and now it is assessment time. Redpaw and Newtpaw pass with ease, but Hawkpaw and Dustpaw have some trouble. Newtpaw tells Redpaw it’s because of their training with Circe, but Redpaw feels a little guilty. Now that they have passed their first unit, they will go to the Starpond and tell StarClan about the vow to their clan. Redpaw, knowing she will one day have to lead FlameClan, isn’t very sure. She sees a vague cat-like shape in her dream, the cat is a bark-brown with a pure red tail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next moon, the apps do some perception training. It winds up being a ruse to play hide-and-seek. Hawkpaw wins, and he is relieved of the standard apprentice duties the next morning. Afterwards, they all get to go to that moon’s Gathering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After that, the routine has really become regular. Redpaw and Dustpaw speak to the elders about futures and pasts. Acornpaw and Squirrelpaw visit their father, and afterwards, the four of them go out to find some good rocks to open the ivy with. They cross into FlameClan territory and encounter Rookpaw and Marigoldpaw. They let them take some rocks from Shore’s Fangs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next moon is time for Field Day. FlameClan has three apprentices, and IvyClan has at least three, so only Lionpaw, Acornpaw and Squirrelpaw are allowed to compete. Redpaw, Newtpaw, Hawkpaw and Dustpaw are all allowed to watch, though. They each bitterly comment about how they </span>
  <em>
    <span>should </span>
  </em>
  <span>be competing too, when news comes that Squirrelpaw has injured himself climbing trees, so Redpaw gets to replace him in the activities the next day. She eats dirt and FlameClan wins, but she can still brag about getting to compete. The older apps decide she’s pretty cool.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon something happens to Blizzardtail that Redpaw cannot understand, and Doveheart informs them all that she cannot be a mentor for the time being. Silverflash retires too, as he’s about to have kits. Dustpaw is reapprenticed to Mistblaze, and Hawkpaw to Dapplefoot. Fawnspark also steps down from training Acornpaw, though it’s decided he’s old enough to be of his own accord, and be trained by Frogflash.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Redpaw wakes up the next moon by the sound of Silverflash’s yowls of agony. He gives birth to two kits that no cat believes were worth being woken at sunrise, but everycat takes turns to great the newborns, as is IvyClan tradition. None of the apprentices can get over just how funky newborn kits look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Within the next week, Lionpaw and Acornpaw earn their warrior names, becoming Liontail and Acornstripe. Fawnspark silently has her own kit without much help, and the clan greets the kit as well. Surprisingly, Sagepatch from FlameClan shows up at camp to greet the kit as well. When Redpaw sees Sagepatch and Featherkit’s pelts, she knows </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly </span>
  </em>
  <span>why he came.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Redpaw meets and tries to fight Snakeheart. Newtpaw isn’t there to help her, and Circe keeps yelling out nonsense instructions. To make things worse, Hawkpaw is trying to wake her up. Overwhelmed, Snakeheart wins the fight and scores his claws down Redpaw’s stomach. She rustles and bleeds out, so Hawkpaw runs out to get Squirrelpaw to fix her up. Being wounded, Redpaw is only told to practise light moves like crouching. She and her brother go out to get new moss for the apprentice den, but she can’t find it in herself to tell him about what she’s training for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Redpaw goes to the Gathering and meets the FlameClan apprentices, who have all earned their warrior names. They all play some gangs and bet on what the others warrior names would be, who will next have kits, and who they’ll be able to mentor. Redpaw is nervous, fearing the yelling that Circe is about to give her. Instead, she meets the dark tabby she saw at the Starpond. The mysterious cat tells Redpaw to follow her own paws, and not let any other cat lead them. She doesn’t take the advice to heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Every time Redpaw now walks along the FlameClan border, she swears she can see the Starpond Cat. She tries to ignore it, and goes hunting and catches an amount she’s very proud of. Soon after she comes home, commotion in camp breaks out as Liontail and Acornstripe bring in four pathetic, skinny and weak kits. Experienced queens quickly size them up and state they need milk, asap. As the fastest cats in the clan, Hawkpaw and Redpaw and sent to run over to FlameClan and bring back a queen to nurse them. Junipertail and her daughter, Lightningkit, come over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jittertail looks them over as well, and starts barking about some sickness called bonnetcough, and that if it isn’t cured, it will kill all the cats in the forest. Squirrelpaw fights her on it, saying that it looks like the kits simply have a cold. It turns physical and soon, Jittertail runs out of the camp. Squirrelpaw follows. No cat has literally any clue what to do while they are gone, so Redpaw runs right back over to FlameClan to collect Condorwing, just in case the sickness is as serious as Jittertail says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unfortunately there’s drama going on in FlameClan, too. Splatterkit has gone missing. Unable to deal with the noise, Rookbreeze and Dawnswirl take Redpaw to the Sandy Islet to hang out for a while. Newtpaw, Hawkpaw and Dustpaw come, too. They return to their clans at sunset. Redpaw thinks she can see the red-and-brown ghostly tabby following her, but can’t be sure. Condorwing is gone and Squirrelpaw is back, Splatterpaw is in camp, and the only thing left of Jittertail is a body. Squirrelpaw and Splatterpaw explain what happened, and the clan sits vigil for the elderly medicine cat. Redpaw doesn’t dream that night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The day of Redpaw, Newtpaw, Hawkpaw and Dustpaw’s warrior assessment comes. Redpaw has been given two simple tasks, catch five pieces of prey, and recite the Warrior Code upon returning. She is trying to fish in the border river when she sees the Starpond Cat on the Sandy Islet. Annoyed and needing to know who this cat is, Redpaw chases her. She runs all around FlameClan territory and eventually runs into a patrol. They’re all very shocked and upset that Redpaw would enter their territory so passively. They return her and she is informed that she will </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>be gaining her warrior name.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Redpaw cheers for her denmates, but can’t help cursing the cat for leading her over there. Circe appears in her dream to console her, stating that while it </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>her destiny to one day run FlameClan, Circe would </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>assist her in breaking the Warrior Code. Redpaw denounces the Starpond Cat and submits to whatever plan Circe promises her. She meets with Newtspots and they fight multiple enemies within the same night. Circe yells the whole time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Redpaw earns her name, and during her vigil, she once again sees the Starpond Cat.She ignores her and falls asleep quickly when she is relieved of duty. Circe comes and tells Redstrike she’s ready. Redstrike is understandably confused. Circe reminds her of the voices she heard in the river while saving Splatterpaw, and of her title: The Blood that Stains the Prairie. She explains that Redstrike will have to take over FlameClan by force, and that now that she is a warrior, she will be able to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Redstrike doesn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>want </span>
  </em>
  <span>to take FlameClan by force. She asks Circe if she should move to FlameClan, but Circe replies that she cannot be a warrior of FlameClan, only leader. Redstrike spins an excuse that she needs a </span>
  <em>
    <span>little </span>
  </em>
  <span>more training, after all, Cypress-star is a seasoned warrior.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While weighing her options, all of the kits in the nursery decide to put on a play about the founding of the clans. Redstrike holds her tongue when they get details wrong.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Redstrike continues to train with Circe. She wakes up to the odd scent of smoke, and mild panic around camp. Outside, Willowstar is organizing patrols to find the source of the scent. All of a sudden, the bramble barrier around camp goes up in blazes. Everycat freaks out. Willowstar yells to head toward The Island. Redstrike wakes her denmates and quickly escapes with her brother and mothers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A little while later, Dapplefoot is counting heads on The Island, only to find that Willowstar, Blazekit, Driftskip, Dustfeather, Newtspots, Thistlespots and Spidersting are all missing. Rains come, and the clan sits vigil for them… when, all of a sudden, Dustfeather, Newtspots and Driftskip appear in the make-shift camp. The other four cats, however, are still missing. Newtspots looks bitter and flops down beside Redstrike, all pissed off. Dapplefoot is also angry and asks what happened to them, so Driftskip explains.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thistlespots stopped him, Dustfeather and Newtspots while climbing the apprentice log. She accused Driftskip of forcing Spidersting to have his kits, when Spidersting appeared and stated that, in fact, Driftskip hadn’t even </span>
  <em>
    <span>sired </span>
  </em>
  <span>the kits. She and Thistlespots fought and fell into the fire, and, unfortunately, Driftskip had to leave them behind to save himself and kits. Newtspots angrily replies that Driftskip is </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>his father any more, and also reveals that, when threatening his mentor, Driftskip confessed to killing Briarstorm, their mother. Driftskip explains the circumstances- Spidersting asked him too because she was abusive, and that it’s because of him that Newtspots and Dustfeather weren’t as messed up as they could be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dapplefoot stops the quarrel before it can get any worse, and pushes the two to opposite sides of the Island. She declares that they will visit the camp in the morning, after the rains have put it out. Redstrike tries to sleep, but is troubled by the fact that her mentor is a murderer. Circe consoles her- clearly, if her mentor can kill, it isn’t as bad as he thought… and she can do it to Cypress-star.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Redstrike thinks about this alot. Finally, one night, Circe wants Redstrike to fight her. If Redstrike wins, she must put the plan into action. Redstrike refuses, and they get into a hard and very real fight. Circe tears a slice out of Redstrike’s ear, and Redstrike damn near kills her. They are interrupted by Thistlespots. She degrades Redstrike, but Redstrike is in shock that Thistlespots came to StarClan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angry now, Circe explains that this </span>
  <em>
    <span>isn’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>StarClan, it’s the Starless Skies. Redstrike figures this means that bad cats go here, and realizes that Circe only wanted her to run FlameClan so she could reek terror across the clans. Well, Circe called her “The Blood that Stains the Prairie” for a reason.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Redstrike wakes up with a start, and wakes her denmates. Newtspots takes her on a walk, where she confuses Circe has refused to keep training her. Newtspots gets angry and degrades her and they, too, get into a fight. They both surrender and return home. Redstrike heads to the medicine den to get her wounds dressed, but can’t find it in herself to tell Squirrelbreeze how she got them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Redstrike becomes the mentor of Icepaw. She isn’t sure she’d fit to train the apprentice, but he seems very happy about the arrangement. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next moons pass peacefully, Redstrike is no longer haunted by Circe or the thoughts of taking over FlameClan, but the thoughts about how she almost did still taunt her. She goes to Gatherings, hunts and trains Icepaw all very emptily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’s trying to find Icepaw in the forest when she encounters Dapplefoot and Fawnspark. They state they know how Redstrike lost the parts of her ear, and she confesses to all of it. The two old ladies swear to protect her, but Redstrike knows Circe isn’t coming back to her anytime soon. Icepaw overhears, and Redstrike has to guiltily explain her actions to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon after, she and Newtspots go on a romantic walk. They sleep in the same nest and, when they wake up, Newtspots yells at Redstrike for not coming to train, so Redstrike explains what happens. Newtspots does not believe what she’s telling him, and the two get into a fight right in the middle of camp. Hawktail and Dustfeather tear them apart, and the two break up. To make matters even worse, Rabbitfleck’s eternal sickness finally claims her, and Wingpaw is mysteriously killed in a border dispute.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next moon, Redstrike finds out she’s pregnant. Newtspots is nowhere to be found, and neither is Hawktail. She tells her mother, who is very happy for her daughter, and sad that Rabbitfleck can’t meet her grandkits. Hawktail bursts into camp, screaming with the Wake Patrol. He drags in Newtspots’ body, and claims he was killed by a fox. The clan… kinda sits vigil, and Redstrike takes this as a sign that no one really </span>
  <em>
    <span>likes </span>
  </em>
  <span>Newtspots. She takes the opportunity to tell the truth about him, about how he abused her during their relationship, and how he plotted to kill Willowstar and take IvyClan for his own. Willowstar doesn’t let him be buried, and instead sends him up the border river.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hawktail silently confesses to Redstrike that he’s the one who killed Newtspots, because he didn’t want him to hurt her, or her kittens. Redstrike thanks him, and finally understands what Spidersting felt when asking Driftskip to kill her mother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Driftskip and Mistblaze marry eachother, and Icepaw and his siblings become warriors. Icewhisker confides in Redstrike and admits that he had taken a mate, and that she was about to have kits. Redstrike agrees to take them if the queen doesn’t make it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Icewhisker ends up bringing Redstrike the kits anyway, just a little while after she gave birth to her own. Icewhisker’s mate refused to raise them. They name all the kits, and let the clan meet them. A week or so later, a patrol finds a young and skinny kit in the woods, and gives her to Redstrike. She is red-furred, and Redstrike prays that Circe will never call her the Blood that Stains the Forest as Willowstar names her Rowankit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two moons later, Redstrike watches the kits all play together, and realizes that she is finally content and happy.</span>
</p>
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